1. Community Actions for Research Infrastructures Paris, Ocdtober 2009
Anna Maria Johansson, DG RTD-B
ERA: Research Programmes and Capacity
Research Infrastructures Unit

2. Basics of the development of the European Research Area
The ERA concept combines:
a European "internal market" for research, where researchers, technology and knowledge freely circulate;
an effective European-level coordination of national and regional research activities, programmes and policies;
initiatives implemented and funded jointly. 2

3. European Research Area
ERA building blocks
Excellent research institutions and universities
Well-coordinated research programmes and priorities (joint programming)
Single labour market for researchers
European Research Area
World-class research infrastructures
Opening to the world through international cooperation in S&T
Effective sharing of knowledge 3

4. World-class research infrastructures
Essential for Europe’s researchers to stay at the forefront of research development
Key component of Europe’s competitiveness in “frontier” research
Key Challenges:
To overcome fragmentation in Europe
To cope with increasing costs / complexity
To improve the efficiency of (and access to) research services, incl. e-infrastructures 4

5. Definition of Research Infrastructures
Facilities, resources, and related services used by the scientific community for conducting top-level research in their respective fields
They include
Major scientific equipment or set of instruments
Scientific collections, archives and structured information
Enabling ICT-based “e-Infrastructures”
Any other entity of a unique nature, used for research
“Single-sited” or “distributed”
Subject to international review

6. Objectives of the Community Research Infrastructures action
To optimise the use and development of the best research infrastructures existing in Europe
To help creating in all fields of S & T new research infrastructures of pan-European interest needed by the European scientific community
To support programme implementation and policy development (e.g. international cooperation)

7. Based on Large single-sited facilities Distributed European Facilities
Towards an ‘eco-system’ of Research Infrastructures within ERA
Large single-sited facilities
Distributed European Facilities
Network of national facilities
Based on
a consistent roadmap from the European stakeholders
Links with universities & schools
Network of industrial suppliers / users 7

8. Policy overview and trends regarding RI’s at EU level
EC Framework Programme: up to now main financing instrument supporting integration, joint research activities and trans-national access to state-of-the-art facilities
‘Preparatory phase’ FP7: facilitating instrument for construction or upgrade of large RI’s
Major role European Strategy Forum for RIs (ESFRI) and e-Infrastructure Reflection Group (e-IGR) ,in development of European RI-policy
ESFRI-roadmap:significant step forward towards a coherent European policy
Major role of Member States

9. Importance of Community Actions
Reducing European fragmentation and dispersion of existing facilities
Stimulate the vision, policy development and more international cooperation in certain fields
Help developing a research market for access to and use if installations/research services

10. Today, scientific competition is at world level
Is Europe able to face the challenge?
Are member States willing to think European?
RI policy at EU level has no other choice than continuing reinforcing coordination
At EU level,
At national and regional,
At “variable geometry”,
At global level…
This explains the important role of ESFRI and others…
RIs not only at the root but also the future of Europe,
The current situation is forcing Europe to quickly advance on research investments, which is twice virtuous (support to research + industry),
A new way of managing research is emerging; this is a major challenge, not scientific but mainly political...
Europe suffers from fragmentation, therefore networking and integration is the way for Europe,
More than half of the ESFRI facilities are of distributed nature, which gives opportunities for regions, small & less research intensive countries to participate in joint projects,
Networking spirit is a European strength, but cross country is a challenge to be faced... 10

11. Towards a coherent policy for Research Infrastructures: ESFRI
A European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (launched in April 2002)
Brings together representatives of the 27 Member States, Associated States, and one representative of the European Commission (EC)
To discuss the long term vision at European level and to support the development of a European RI policy
A Roadmap Report with 44 projects
Worth ~20 B€ investments over the next ~10 years

12. Environmental Sciences
IAGOS-
ERI
EUFAR
COPAL
Report 2006 and 2008
LIFE-
WATCH
AURORA BOREALIS
EMSO
EURO-
ARGO
SIOS
EPOS
EISCAT
ICOS

13. New Research Infrastructures a new Community legal framework
Recent entry into force of ERIC (Aug 09)
Allows the Community to set up European entities necessary for efficient execution of Community RTD programmes (art. 171 EC Treaty)
The regulation provides an easy-to-use legal tool:
… having legal personality recognized in all MS
… having a spirit of a truly European venture
… being flexible enough (one size doesn’t fit all)
… with some privileges / exemptions
Membership: States and intergov. Orgainsations – no private entities because…
Procedure: application, statues tailor-made…
Advantages: VAT, excise duties, procurement, faster
Obligations: sound financial management, statutes, monitoring.. 13

14. FP7 Research Infrastructures Call for proposals FP7-INFRASTRUCTURES-2010-1

15. FP7 Research Infrastructures actions
Existing Infrastructures
New Infrastructures
Integrating activities
Design studies
Indicative budget
600 M€
Indicative budget
1000 M€
Construction (preparatory phase; construction phase)
e-infrastructures
Policy Development and Programme Implementation
Indicative budget
80 M€

16. Call budget FP7-INFRASTRUCTURES-2010-1
Indicative total budget: EUR 217 million (M€)
1.3 Support to policy development and programme implementation
1.1 Support to existing research infrastructures
1.1.1 Integrating activities
~ 162 M€
1.2 Support to new research infrastructures
1.2.2 Construction of new infrastructures (or major upgrades) – Preparatory phase
~ 45 M€
~ 10 M€

17. Indicative timetable Date of publication 30 July 2009
Deadline 3 December : (Brussels time)
Evaluation Dec – Feb. 2010
Evaluation results March 2010
Launch of negotiation May 2010
Signature grant agreements from autumn 2010
Pre-financing 45 days after signature grant agreement
Starting date to be negotiated 17

18. Integrating activities Objectives and activities
Objectives: bring together and integrate, on a European scale, key research infrastructures (RIs) in a given class, in order to promote their coordinated use and development.
Activities:
(1) Networking activities,
(2) Transnational access and/or service activities and
(3) Joint research activities
Funding scheme: CP-CSA (combination of ‘collaborative project’ & ‘coordination and support actions’)

19. Integrating activities Targeted approach
This call addresses 35 defined topics, focusing on strategic priorities
With topics for the potential follow-up of projects and with topics for the opening to new communities
More topics than can be funded to ensure competition (around 20 projects expected to be selected)
Topic codes: INFRA ,… INFRA

20. Integrating activities List of topics (3)
Environmental Sciences
RIs for Atmospheric Research.
Sites and experimental platforms for long-term ecosystem research.
RIs for native seed conservation.
RIs for Polar research.
RIs for Coastal Research, including for Integrated Coastal Zone Management and Planning.
RIs for water resource observation, water resource management, hydrological observation.

21. Preparatory phase Objectives and activities
Objectives: to provide catalytic and leveraging support for the preparatory phase leading to the construction of new RIs
Building primarily upon the work conducted by ESFRI
Bringing the project to the level of legal and financial maturity
Involving all the necessary stakeholders to make the project move forward, take decision, etc.
Activities: legal work, governance, strategic work, financial work and, if necessary, technical work
Funding scheme: CP-CSA (combination of ‘collaborative project’ & ‘coordination and support actions’)

22. Support to policy development and programme implementation Objectives and topics
Objectives: to enhance the effectiveness and coherence of national and Community research policies, international cooperation and the analysis of emerging needs in the field of RIs
Through ERANET and Studies, conferences and coordination actions, for all RI fields and class of RI
Two topics
INFRA : ERANET supporting cooperation for RIs in all S&T fields
INFRA : Studies, conferences and coordination actions supporting policy development, including international cooperation in all S&T fields

23. ERANET Expected proposals
Objectives: to develop / strengthen cooperation and coordination of national programmes / policy actions
Activities: (1) information exchange, (2) preparation of joint activities and (3) implementation of joint activities
Specific focus on:
Structuring specific science and technology fields not yet fully organised at EU level
The regional dimension of RIs (coordination of RIs hosted by regions and/or financed by Structural Funds)
RIs observatory at European level.
Int’l cooperation (Europe to speak with one voice)

24. Studies, conferences… Expected proposals
Actions related to the socio-economic impacts of RIs
Development of new methods and indicators…
Forward-looking, prospective, trends per domain…
Development of the “European Portal on RIs’ Services” (as a tool for the scientific community and for policy makers)
Actions fostering a more balanced territorial development and integration of RIs within the ERA (focus on governance and management)
Actions supporting international cooperation and policy initiatives related to RI projects (at global level or with specific interest at international level)

25. Evaluation Based on three major criteria
Do not concentrate your efforts only on scientific issues!
Scientific excellence is the major criteria, but…
Efficient management of the foreseen action is key for its potential success, and
Impacts should not only be measurable on scientific grounds, they also have to cover ERA, socio-economic as well as HR issues (key for the future of Europe!)

26. RIs for Env (Biodiversity) FP6-FP7 projects
More than 26 M€
FP6 I3
INCREASE, 5.9 m€
FP7 I3
SYNTHESYS, 5 m€
SYNTHESYS, 7.2 m€
FP6 CA
Treebreedex, 2.8 m€
FP7 PP
LifeWatch, 5m€
New RI(s) …
ANAEE, 0.9 m€
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014

27. Essential documents
Work Programme (FP7 ‘Capacities’, Research Infrastructures, 2010) and ‘Call fiche’
Guides for applicants
Practical information on how to apply (electronic submission of proposals only)
Specific to a call and a funding scheme
Instructions for completing ‘part A’ (forms) and drafting ‘part B’ (text) of the proposal
(on Cordis web site, along with other useful documents)

28. For further information
ESFRI on CORDIS
FP7 and Capacities Specific Programme
Research Infrastructures on CORDIS (FP6)
Research Infrastructures in Europa 29 29